Iridescent
by ScriptedLullabies
Summary: Dani Harper has everything she ever dreamed of. She is one of the biggest stars on earth and she feels like it is only the beginning. But when the night falls and the spotlight fades, she realizes that something has been missing and her heart has been yearning for it. Then finally, a twist of fate brings her to the one person who can complete her. Dantana AU.
1. Ch 1 : Prelude

**Disclaimer : **Obviously I don't own Glee. Such a bummer, I know. As for the affiliations and establishments I might mention on this story, well, I just wanna keep some authenticity in a way, so some of them are real and some are just products of my imagination.

**Author's Note: **I just came down with the realization that I am so fascinated by Demi Lovato around a month ago. Crazy? I know. I have no explanation to justify that. But ever since then, this idea has been floating around my head. And with how under-developed her character on Glee is…I just can't take the disappointment anymore. So this is how I make up for it. I write this for myself, but of course if anyone out there finds it to be enjoyable, I'd be glad. This is my first Dantana fic and I think I'm gonna write them a little bit out of characters. And yes, I'm gonna incorporate Demi's real life story into Dani's background, for the sake of the plot. But not too much, you'll see what I mean. Do tell me what you think of it! Here goes…

* * *

She never asked for it; the fame and spotlight with thousands of people chanting her name. She never pictured a life where airplanes and hotel rooms were places she spent most of her time in. She was just an ordinary girl who happened to like pouring her heart out into songs and singing them, not even once thinking that people might find her music relatable, but they did and everything just went from there. Her life had become a whirlwind of camera flashes, interviews, touring all over the world and so many other things her brain still couldn't process as something real. She had everything she could ever wanted, and even that would be an understatement. She had much more than that. But deep down she knew, she still didn't have that one thing she needed. The one thing fame and money couldn't afford. As she retreated back to her hollow hotel room, she embraced the dark surrounding her. She lied down on the bed, her hand reaching out to the empty space beside her. As she closed her eyes, she whispered out the same thing she had wished for the last couple of months. "Someday you will hold me in your arms as I say to you… 'I'm home'."

* * *

There was still this surreal feeling every time she heard her own songs playing on the radio, and that happened a lot. But no matter how many times her head managed to keep up with the fact that she was one of the biggest pop stars on earth, her heart still fell short. Deep down, she knew that fame and money hadn't changed the girl inside; the same girl who was too shy to speak up in school, the girl who was too afraid to be seen, and the girl who was so insecure in her own skin. None of those had changed, but she had grown stronger now. She had overcome a lot of obstacles and she could proudly say that she was a survivor. She was better than ever even though she kept on fighting her inner demons everyday. She was determined to win said battles every time.

"Dani… Hey, Dani!"

"Huh?" Snapping out of her wandering mind, she looked to her left, finding her manager was frowning at her. "What's up?"

Adam sighed loudly. "You haven't been listening to everything I've said, that's what's up."

"Oh…Sorry." Dani smiled apologetically. "Could you _please _tell me again?" Dani begged with her puppy eyes.

Adam shook her head. "I should've been immune to that by now…"

"But you're not, right?" Dani countered teasingly, arching her eyebrows.

"You'll be the death of me someday." Adam huffed as he went through the sheet of Dani's schedule for the day. "Anyway, I was saying, we moved the Z100 and KTU 103.5 FM interviews to tomorrow right before your appearance at the Youth United Center. So today you only have one interview at 106.7 Lite FM."

Dani nodded her head a couple of times. "Sweet."

"You're not too tired, aren't you?" Adam asked thoughtfully. He knew that Dani must be so exhausted. She just wrapped up her last leg of concerts in Europe, immediately hopped on the next flight available, spent 12 hours on air, and right after she landed she was already expected to go in for interviews at some radio stations in New York. Needless to say, her schedule was too chaotic even though Adam tried his best to make it seem bearable.

"It's alright. I am a bit tired, but it's good to know that I can turn in early tonight." Dani smiled weakly. She didn't want to alarm Adam that she actually didn't feel too well. She thought she could just sleep it off later on after the interview.

"Are you hungry? Did you eat something on the plane?" Adam inquired; making sure that Dani hadn't unconsciously starved herself again. He was supposed to be there until the last day of Dani's tour in Europe but he had to come back earlier than the rest of the crew to take care some loose ends in New York.

"I didn't eat much. I slept for the most of the flight. Do we have time for some pizza?" She asked in hopeful voice, actually excited to eat something before she had to put on her best persona for her interview.

"Of course! One vegetarian pizza coming right up!"

* * *

Dani was escorted through the hallway of the building by some staff at the 106.7 Lite FM station. She was talking animatedly, obviously excited to finally meet Dani in person. Dani just nodded and smiled politely, trying her best to keep up with the girl. When she finally stepped inside the main booth, she was greeted by Helen Little, someone she never met before even though she had done several radio interviews with the station.

"Dani! It's nice to finally meet you!" Helen said enthusiastically, moving to kiss Dani on the cheek.

"It's nice to meet you too, Helen. Thanks for having me here." Dani returned the pleasantries.

"Please, sit down, sit down." Helen gestured to the only empty chair in front of them. Then she immediately rounded the counter and sat back on her seat, putting on her headphone. Dani sat down and took a headphone one of the interns gave to her. She smiled appreciatively before putting it on.

As some song finally died down, Helen spoke to the mic. "And we're back at 106.7 Lite FM. It's a beautiful day in New York and it has gotten even more beautiful as a special guest just walked in through my door and she looks so lovely. It's Dani Harper everybody!" Helen announced cheerfully, gathering some claps from people on the floor.

"Hello everyone, I'm so glad to be here today!" Dani responded with the same amount of excitement, if not more. She was getting so good at hiding how tired she really was.

''We're so happy to have you here again. Thank you for making the time. I heard you just landed like three hours ago…" Helen began, trailing off to give Dani a chance to respond.

"Yeah, it's good to finally be back here after my tour in Europe and I just wanted to say hi to my fans and let them know that I'm alive and well, what better way to do that than a radio interview, right?" Dani smiled, wiggling her eyebrow playfully.

Helen laughed at that before she continued. "That's right. I admire at how dedicated you are to your fans. No wonder they love you so much."

"Well, I wouldn't be here without them, so it's the very least I can do. Even though I wish I can hug each and every one of them." Dani countered excitedly.

"I'm sure they will love that, but let's not give them ideas. We can't have them marching down her and demanding for that hug." Helen quipped which got Dani to chuckle lightly. "So, you just got back from your tour. You released a biography earlier this year and you also starred on some TV shows. It seems like you've had a very full plate in 2013, and it's only the beginning of October, any new project coming up?"

"Well, like you said Helen, I've had a very busy year. The last two months of 2013 will be spent with some live performances in different venues, interviews and just promoting my book and my album some more. So I think I'm gonna tone it down a bit come 2014, only for a couple of months before I announce my next project. But something is in the making for sure, I just can't tell you right now." Dani answered teasingly.

"Ah, you just know how to keep us at the edge of our seats, don't you?" Helen responded quickly, not losing a beat. "Well then maybe we can just move on to some questions we have received on our Twitter. Let's see…" Helen strolled down the page on her screen as she browsed through the questions. "So… Lucy from Michigan asked you, 'what is the hardest language you had been exposed to from your tour around the world?' That's a new one, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I don't think anyone ever asked me that before. Hmm…" Dani hummed to herself, scrunching up her eyebrows in the process. "I guess it's either Japanese or Korean, just because they use symbols in their languages. I had a hard time going around the cities there because some of their signs aren't written in normal lettering system. But the fans over there are so great and welcoming, I did learn something…"

"Ooh, care to tell us what phrases you still remember until now?" Helen probed.

"Well I still remember how to say 'I love you' in Japanese, it's 'watashi wa anata o aishite' or something… I might just embarrass myself." Dani burst into laughter.

"That's actually very good. And I bet not many people would know if you indeed said it wrong. Hell, I didn't even know…" Helen joined in the laughter. "Let's move on to the next question. Ashley from Brooklyn wanted to know 'what is your favorite thing to do on your break?'"

"Sleep." Dani answered instantly with a serious face before she broke out a huge grin. "Well, that's actually true but I'm sure she would want more interesting answer from me. Hmm, I like hanging out with friends and family as much as possible. I haven't seen my parents properly for the last 3 months now. So I'm looking forward to that…Oh, and catching up on some TV shows. I haven't watched the third season of Game of Thrones!" Dani exclaimed, tapping her hand on the desk.

"That sounds like a brilliant idea. The show is phenomenal!" Helen pointed out eagerly. "Now to another question, it's from Michael in Wisconsin, 'who will you kiss under the mistletoe or on New Year's Eve?' Ooh, people are getting raunchy here…"

Dani laughed it out, formulating a comeback. "Well, don't we all wanna know? Maybe I can kiss you, Michael from Wisconsin?" She said arching her eyebrow suggestively, even though she knew her fans couldn't see her.

"Michael, you better hurry up and fly down here then…"

Dani shook her head lightly, smiling incredulously at her own joke. "Seriously though, as much as the media has been gossiping non stop about that particular department of my life, I can honestly say that I'm not seeing anyone right now and…I don't know, there's still time until Christmas comes, right? We'll see..."

Helen nodded in satisfaction as she continued to scroll down the page, totally missing the faraway look on Dani's face after that question. "So, now Emily from Iowa wanna know…"

Dani already drowned out the world around her at that point, once again hit by the sudden realization that when she got to her hotel room that night, she would be left completely alone, with no one to hold her. And for a while she let herself got carried away in her thought and the emptiness inside her.

* * *

"Oh I'm so glad those interviews are over. They can be too much sometimes." Dani mused as she settled back on her seat, Adam sitting right beside her.

"Well, you know they are paid to be occasionally relentless, especially since you've come out so openly with your issues two years ago, they can't have enough of you." Adam reasoned dismissively as he went through Dani's schedule on his tablet. "Now, we can move on to the agenda you actually want to do…"

"Yes! Though I'm not looking forward to giving any speeches…" Dani murmured, after all this time she still dreaded public speaking, she felt awkward and exposed whenever she talked in front of people.

"Don't think of it as a speech. You'll just go in there, sit down with the group and share your story. That's pretty much it." Adam convinced, putting his hand on Dani's shoulder as a gesture of encouragement.

"Easier said than done." Dani scoffed lightly. She reached out for her iPad and immediately opened the rehabilitation center's website. "Hmm, Youth United helps individuals, families, and communities struggling with alcohol abuse, substance abuse, and drug addiction transform their lives…" She kept on reading to calm her nerves down, even though she already knew all about the rehab center she was about to go to. She felt some indescribable feeling in her gut, like something big was coming her way. But of course she just ignored it. What she didn't realize was that her life would change forever that day.

* * *

"Ms. Harper, thank you so much for coming here. You have no idea how much it means to the young people going through treatment here. Your story is inspirational." A woman in her late 30's welcomed Dani as she entered the five stories building. "My name is Madison Luca, I'm the supervisor here at Youth United Center…"

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Luca." Dani responded politely, shaking the woman's hand. She settled on Mrs. Instead of Ms. after she saw the wedding ring on the woman's left ring finger.

"Oh please call me Madison…"

"And please call me Dani." She countered quickly, feeling a little at ease for how genuine the woman she was talking to seemed.

"Right then, Dani, let me give you a little tour around the place, shall we?" Madison gestured toward the stairs. Dani slightly nodded as she started to walk alongside her.

"So we have several programs here in YUC. There are some outpatient programs and recovery housing program…"

* * *

"…and finally, this is our common room." Madison stopped her tracks in front of a big wooden door that was slightly ajar. Dani positioned herself on a spot where she could sneakily take a peek inside while listening on to Madison's explanation on the recovery housing program they had. And that was when she first noticed _her_.

There was this woman standing in front of a group of teenagers. She listened intently as one of the girls in the group seemed to tell her something very important. The woman was beautiful, there was no denying that. Her beauty was flawless; with her long dark wavy hair, her olive skin and toned body, people could mistake her as a model or movie star. But Dani saw something completely…iridescent about her. There was a sparkle in her eyes as she gave her undivided attention to the girl who was talking to her, there was warmth in her smile as she reached out her hand and put it on the girl's shoulder. And the way she moved her mouth as she uttered God knows what between those luscious lips. The woman was captivating and Dani was sure those teenagers would agree with her.

"…do you maybe have any question, Dani?" Madison asked before she wrapped up the tour she had given the young pop star.

"Huh…" Dani quickly averted her focus back on Madison. "No, there's none so far." She answered with a nervous smile, hoping Madison didn't catch on how she had practically ignored her for the last couple of minutes.

"Okay then, maybe we can just carry on with our group session. I'm sure they can't wait to finally see you." Madison pushed the door open, allowing Dani to step into the room first.

"So this is where we usually have our group session and discussion." Madison elaborated as she scanned the room for her staff that she wanted to introduce to Dani before the session begun.

"This feels so nice." Dani looked over the room appreciatively. The room was indeed comfortable, with couches in the middle part, coffee table as a center piece. There were some calming paintings on the wall and motivational posters on the other side. The windows on the far side of the room were over-looking the city view and sunlight seeped inside freely, laminating the room with soft afternoon glow. Dani flicked her eyes up once more when she finally caught the mysterious woman's eyes and she was looking back at her.

Dani stared at the woman shamelessly as she could feel a sudden churn in her stomach. The woman's eyes were gorgeous, anything about her was. She didn't know that she was holding her breath until it registered to her brain that the woman was making her way toward her. _What the hell? _Dani visibly gulped, taking in some deep breaths as she was watching her move.

"So, Dani, I want you to meet the group's leader and recovery coach here…" Once again, she snapped out of her trance. She turned her head to the side, looking back at Madison. She soon realized that Madison had called the woman over, that she was the staff she wanted to introduce to Dani.

Dani glanced forward once more as the strange beauty finally stood right before her. She dared herself to look up, finding herself stuck in the depth of dark brown orbs. She never saw something that mesmerizing before. She couldn't help but gaze at them thoughtfully, intensely. She had seen a lot of beautiful people in her life, but none of them seemed to compare to the way the woman in front of her carried herself. There were no words could explain or describe the feeling she had at that very moment. She watched as those full lips opening up and a melodic voice coming out of them.

"Hello, I'm Santana Lopez." The woman stretched out her hand, waiting for Dani to reciprocate the gesture.

"I'm Dani Harper." She responded absentmindedly. She took Santana's hand in hers and that was when it finally hit her; a jolt down her spine, a shiver on her skin and how her heart skipped a beat.

* * *

**P.S. **So, should I continue or…?


	2. Ch 2 : Possibilities

**Author's Note: **It was brought to my attention that there is this other Dantana fic with the same title as my story. I freaked out when I found out because I had made sure that there wasn't one here on FF, but of course I didn't count on the fact that there would be one on Tumblr. Anyway, pardon that confusion and thank you **fudge Dani **for pointing it out. I've started reading it and it is an _amazing_ story. Now I feel an extra burden for sharing a same title, but I'll do my best with mine.

**Guests, rayveyone, kilikou: **Here it is! Thank you for encouraging me to continue this story. I hope you will enjoy this until the end :)

**Lemi Dovato: **Hey you! I've noticed how you seem to pop up on a lot of Dantana fics' reviews and I'm flattered that you popped on mine, your comment is just spot on! Thanks!

**For the name of: **I can literally feel the urgency!haha. It is important for me to finish what I've started. I look forward to reading your review again. Thank you!

And this chapter is for you, my 'something', because really, words can't describe you ;)

**As for others, thank you so much for showing your support on this story. I appreciate every review, follow and favorite I've gotten so far. You guys are awesome!**

* * *

_She watched as the girl she thought as the love of her life packing up her stuff hastily. She was shocked and her mind raced. They hadn't fought lately and that was even worse, because it meant that they didn't care enough to actually work on their broken relationship. She didn't know how they got to that point. All she knew was that she already gave her best, but apparently that wasn't enough._

"_Please, can we just talk about this?" She pleaded, tears strolling down her cheeks. She hugged herself tightly. She wanted to reach her hands out and hold her but she knew she shouldn't. _

"_There's nothing to talk about. I told you, I don't feel like this is working anymore." The girl responded coldly._

"_I can do better. I will be better. I will give you everything you deserve. Please, just give us another chance." She begged helplessly, her voice trembled; her body shook with shallow sobs she let out._

_The girl stopped her movements as she finished shoving all of her stuff into the suitcase in her hand. She took a deep breath before she turned her body around, finding the sobbing girl looking down at her feet. Her whole body showed how defeated she was. The girl almost felt guilty, but she didn't. She picked up her suitcase off the bed. _

"_Goodbye." The girl walked past her in a swift motion, didn't even bother to give her one last glance. _

_She stood there numbly; she could feel the fight inside her had dissipated entirely. She winced as she heard the front door closing, as if someone hit her hard, as if she was physically hurt. And she felt like she did, her whole body ached, her heart shattered. There was nothing stopping her from collapsing to the floor, clenching her chest in her hand, as she cried out in silence._

* * *

"So, Dani, I'm sure people have asked you this a million times, but I just wanna hear it from you, does it get better?" A girl with dirty blonde hair and blue eyes asked her. She was probably around 18 year-old. She looked so pale and defeated; as if the world had put on an unbearable amount of burden upon her shoulders and she had lost the battle to the world. It reminded Dani of herself, back when she realized her whole world was crumbling down and she was drowning fast, knowing she would hit rock bottom if no one had come to her rescue.

"As cliché as it may sound, yes it does. But it doesn't get easy. Nothing that matters the most is ever easy. It's still a constant battle for me every single day. My manager still reminds me to eat at least 2 times a day. Some of my crews had to literally snatch a glass of wine from my hand because I told myself that I was allowed to have some fun after a successful performance. I still have to fight myself not to express my frustration in destructive ways."

"What I can say is, we'd get stronger every time we don't let our troubles win. Each victory I had, even though it's only over trivial matters, it has convinced me that I still have reasons to hold on. Find something that grounds you, surround yourself with people who aren't afraid to say no or hit you with the ugly truth. And _believe _that it will get better." Dani elaborated thoughtfully, looking straight at the girl's eye, hoping she could convey how genuine every word she uttered out was.

The girl's eyes were glistened with tears; Dani's words had struck a cord inside her. Dani felt bad for making the girl cried but then she saw how Santana slowly reached her hand up behind the girl's back, trying to calm her down, reminding her that she was in a supportive environment, that she wasn't alone. Dani couldn't help but once again stared at her, trying to figure out what she was like underneath this 'perfect' exterior. She had always admired people who dedicated their lives to help others. If it weren't for those kinds of people, she wouldn't be there right now. And it was no different this time; she instantly admired Santana for being one of those people. She must have had other dreams, people must have offered her many different opportunities, Dani was sure about that, but the woman chose to be there; she chose to do something that really mattered.

Sure, the same could be said about Dani. A lot of young people found her story inspiring and her songs empowering. People had come up to her to thank and tell her how much she had touched their hearts; how she had saved their lives. It was more than Dani had ever expected. She wrote those songs out of her own struggles to survive. In a way, writing those songs had become her salvation. And knowing that others could actually relate to her songs, it reminded her that she had been given this 'voice' to make a change in the world. She then vaguely heard Madison speaking up, once again breaking her out of her bewilderment. _Damn, I daze off a lot lately._

"So, I guess it's time to wrap up this session…" Madison began, eliciting a round of groans and disappointed sighs. "I know, I know, I'm sure all of you want her to stay longer. But…Dani does have a surprise for you, isn't that right?" She looked back at the young star, an expectant look on her face.

"Yes, that's right. Well if you guys feel up to it, I want you all to come to this small show I'm gonna do in The Sidewalk Café on East Village next Saturday night. The place holds so much meaning for me, it's where I performed for the first time years ago and every year I try to celebrate the anniversary by coming back there. So, what do you say?" Dani grinned as she glanced over the crowd in front of her.

The group instantly erupted in cheers of agreement and joy. Some of the girls hugging each other and the other half sat there in awe, looking back at Dani with glossy eyes. She grinned to herself, seeing people smile always made her feel like she had done something right. She wasn't the kind of person who strived for people's approvals so she wouldn't get out of her way to please people with no apparent reason. But this was something totally different; she realized that she actually loved doing things for others. It didn't give her a sense of pride; she wasn't some kind of self-righteous brat. What it gave her was a sense of self-worth; for a while she felt worthy of the life she had been blessed with, how much she had turned her life around after all the bad things that happened in her past and the way she reacted to it….

She shook off her head internally when she realized the direction her mind was about to go. She looked up, catching Santana watching her. The woman didn't look away even though she was caught looking at her and it surprised Dani even more that Santana's gaze grew intense as her eyes met hers. She offered a nervous tight smile which the Latina returned casually before she finally directed her full attention to the group of young people who were still in commotion after Dani's announcement.

_What was that all about?_

* * *

"Thank you so much for coming by, Dani." Madison repeated for the umpteenth time that day, shaking Dani's hand firmly.

"I had a great time. I hope my story can somehow help them in a way." Dani offered her best smile. Her face lit up with joy and her eyes sparkled with sincerity.

"Oh…it does, trust me." Santana spoke up, causing Dani to glance over to the mysterious woman that had intruded her mind ever since she first laid her eyes on her. "They look up to you so much…" Santana said softly, a light tone in her voice and a gentle smile on her face.

Dani could literally feel the heat that was about to strike her face with a hint of red, and it didn't escape her mind how silly it was for her to squirm so easily under the Latina's gaze. She cleared her throat awkwardly. "Uh, thanks… Um, I-, that means a lot to me." She managed to mumble out. _For God's sake, I've performed hundred of times in front of thousands of people, why am I acting like a mumbling idiot in front of her? Be cool, Dani!_

"I will walk you…" Madison began before she was erupted by the sound of her phone's ringtone. She smiled politely to Dani before she reached for the phone. She took it out of her blazer's pocket hastily, glanced over the screen. "Ah, I'm afraid I have to take this…"

"It's okay. I can find my way around… "

"Nonsense…" Madison shook her head, "Santana, please accompany her downstairs." She looked up at her staff before she went to hug Dani and then spun around to the direction of her office, answering the phone along the way.

"Well, she's nice…" Dani chuckled; her eyes followed the retreating back of Madison. She dared herself to look up and meet Santana's eyes.

"Yeah, Madison is great…" Santana began, "shall we?" She gestured toward the stairs with a very charming smile. Not realizing the effect she had on the young singer.

Dani followed in her footsteps, trailing behind for a few seconds, admiring the woman's form. She instantly reprimanded herself for being such a creep as she quickened her pace, finding herself walking side by side with Santana. "So…will you be there at the show?" _Right, you don't know the word subtle, do you? Smooth, Dani, very smooth._

Santana glanced over to her side, nodding slightly. "Yeah, Madison discussed it with me yesterday right after your manager called her. Since I'm the one who's in charge with this group, I'm gonna be there…to supervise." Santana added the last part in a whim; she didn't want to sound too eager. Because she actually was, yet she was determined not to make a fool of herself in front of Dani.

"Cool." Dani grinned; the prospect of seeing Santana again warmed her in a way she couldn't comprehend.

The short walk they shared filled with light conversations. Dani realized how easy it was to talk to Santana; the woman treated her like she was normal, if that even made any sense. People tend to treat her differently due to her star status. Either they got too emotional, crying and hugging her as if their life depended on it or they would act apprehensively, the way Madison did. With Santana, she felt like she was talking to an old friend. She found out that Santana was 24, three years older than her and she completed her master's degree in social work at New York University where she focused on substance abuse and co-occurring disorders. She also helped out in the community center outside of Brooklyn. Dani listened intently as her mind constantly said '_this woman is amazing._'

Santana wouldn't admit it to anyone because she had some image to protect. But if she was honest, she really, _really, _liked Dani. She wouldn't consider herself die hard fans, she didn't know everything there was to know about the young woman, but she admired her story; how she survived through all turbulences in her life and how she managed to come back stronger. Santana occasionally listened to her songs and she would marvel on how real and raw those lyrics were. She had this mental image of how Dani would be like, but she didn't expect that the star would be so grounded and…honest, in a way that she didn't hide behind pretenses, she didn't act like she thought she was better than the rest of people. Santana found herself intrigued by her.

As they both descended the stairs, Dani spotted her manager sitting in the front lounge. She quickly made her way to Adam, wanting to introduce Santana to him. She approached him with a huge grin on her face, something that she didn't realize at first, not until she saw Adam arching his eyebrow up and smirking at her knowingly. Dani instantly wiped out the obvious excitement she had off of her face.

"Adam, have you been waiting long?" Dani began, trying to get rid her nervousness so she wouldn't end up introducing Santana with stuttered lines.

"Not at all, we just got back from having lunch and I bought you that enchilada you love so much." Adam answered to her but his gaze was fixed on the Latina.

"Oh, that's awesome. Thanks! Anyway, uh, this is Santana Lopez… She's one of the recovery coaches here in YUC." She threw her gaze back at the woman standing beside here. "Santana, this is my manager, Adam Oakley."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Lopez…" Adam said eagerly, shaking the woman's hand. He didn't miss how Dani was practically gawking at the tanned beauty. He decided to play around and tease Dani a bit.

"Likewise. It's nice to meet you…" Santana smiled politely, stealing glances at Dani as she shook Adam's hand.

When he finally retracted his hand from Santana's, he immediately circled Dani's shoulder and dramatically pulled her in, hugging her from the side. "So, how did this champ do? I hope she didn't embarrass herself in front of the kids…" Adam said teasingly, a mischievous grin on his face.

Dani was taken by surprise, all she could manage to do was elbowed Adam's side not so subtly and she looked up at him with a pointed look as if saying, 'what the fuck are you doing, man?' Adam couldn't care any less as he kept holding her close and waited for Santana's response.

"No, not at all. She was great, the kids loved her and she has really helped them conquering their fears and overcoming their issues. She is an amazing role-model…" Santana said with ease, sincerity painted her face. She gazed toward Dani, finding the singer dipping her head shyly. _That was cute._

"Aw, that's good. I guess you did great, champ! I'm so proud of you!" Adam said exaggeratedly, ruffling Dani's head as if she was 5 and she just won a spelling bee contest.

Dani finally pushed him away, escaping from his death grip and she hoped she could escape from the scene all together. She knew Adam was evil but she didn't expect him to tease her like this in front of a woman she was clearly trying to impress. He just ruined the one chance she had on leaving a good impression. _Who am I kidding; I've failed from the start._

"Adam," Dani started with an exasperate tone, "can you please tell Winston to bring the car around?" She practically glared at her manager.

"Sure thing!" Adam responded playfully. "It's really nice to meet you and I guess I'll see you at Dani's show?" Adam looked back at Santana; he could see how amused Santana was, seeing the stunt he just pulled.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss it for the world…" Santana said charmingly.

"Great!" Adam said in passing as Dani was practically shoving him away. He left with a chuckle but not before casting a wink over his shoulder to Dani.

'_You're dead meat…_' Dani threw her best killer look at him; she knew Adam would get it. She shook her head before hastily looked back at the dark-haired woman who was smiling earnestly at her.

"He's fun…" Santana commented lightly.

"He's annoying, that's what he is…" Dani huffed; she unconsciously blew strain of hair away from her face, one of the things she did whenever she was frustrated.

_Okay, that is also cute_. Santana thought to herself, enjoying the last minutes she could share with Dani. "You two seem pretty close…" She had witnessed how down-to-earth Dani was, so it didn't surprise her that Dani treated the people who worked for her as if they were her friends.

"Yeah, he's like this big brother I never had, an _obnoxious _one, but he's stayed by me through thick or thin. I love him but I also hate him sometimes… It's complicated." Dani let out a nervous laugh. She really did see Adam as her big brother. He was there to catch her when she couldn't take the burden anymore. She was so grateful for having him and all the people who helped her get back on her feet.

"That must be nice, to have a real friend, especially that you're on the road all the time. You must miss your family…" Santana pointed out, looking at Dani thoughtfully.

"Yeah…I'm lucky that I'm surrounded by people who truly care about me. My crew is like my second family, they make it easier. And my parents are supportive; they would fly out to see me whenever they can so everything works out all right…" Dani said contentedly, thinking that she really needed to remind herself not to take those people for granted, that they were enough. Yet, she knew something was still missing.

Santana observed the look on Dani's face; the singer seemed so at ease when she talked about her family. But she didn't miss a hint of sadness lacing her voice. She wondered what caused that glimpse of emptiness she saw in Dani's eyes. She casually looked up, catching a black car pulling over in front of the building. "I think your ride is here…"

Dani looked behind her, disappointed by the fact that she had to part with Santana. "Right, I guess I better get going…" She muttered out, trying to mask her disappointment with a smile. "It was really nice to meet you, Santana."

"You too. I can't wait to see the show…" Santana said excitedly, her mind raced as it said, _I can't wait to see you again._

Dani grinned at Santana's admission, she knew that there was a chance that Santana was just trying to be nice, but her heart told her that Santana might be excited to see the show because she also wanted to see Dani again. "I will look for you in the crowd… I'll see you soon, senorita…" Dani muttered out as she started walking backward, waving her hand awkwardly, which caused Santana to chuckle and waved back in the same manner.

When Dani finally spun her body around, she saw Adam through the glass door standing by the car. He had that knowing smug smile on his face, the one that said, 'you're in so much trouble, dude' and as much as Dani wanted to deny that, she couldn't. Because she knew once she stepped out of the building, her mind would always retrace back to a certain Latina. _I'm so screwed._

* * *

As next Saturday finally came, Santana found herself standing inside a quaint café she had never gone to. The café was comfortable; it gave out this rustic feeling and a familiarity of a place where she could see herself spending time at. She glanced over to the tables that were already reserved for her and the group and she went over it in her head again, that everyone was accounted for. She made sure that the kids would be picked up by their parents later on, she made all the phone calls herself, and she even convinced some of the skeptic parents that the event would be good for their children. People in recovery surely still need entertainment every now and then. With that out of her hands, she could enjoy the night; she didn't have to worry about getting the kids home safely.

She looked around and saw how packed the small café was. She found out from one of the girls that the show wasn't publicly announced but maybe some people already knew that Dani used to come back there every year on a certain date. She could see some people standing by the entrance, trying to get in. She thought of how lucky she was for being there with an advantage of a direct invitation from Dani. Out of a sudden, she heard people starting to cheer; she shifted in her seat as she cast her gaze toward the same direction people were clearly looking on. She watched as Dani entered the scene, wearing black skinny jeans, t-shirt, motorcycle leather jacket and to top it all, a cute fedora hat. Santana almost forgot to breathe at the sight. _She is even more beautiful than the last time I saw her._

Dani made her way out of the backroom, she quickly strolled toward the bar counter, wanting to greet Luke. It had been a while since she last saw him. Luke was the owner of the café and he gave Dani a job as a waitress there years ago. She got to know the man better and their relationship went further than a boss-employee interaction, he was like an uncle to Dani and she found herself sharing her stories and even some of her songs. Then one day, he encouraged Dani to perform in one of the open mic nights and the rest was history. No matter what, Dani knew she wouldn't get to where she was without Luke's help and his faith in her. She waved to the room as some people calling her name. She caught a glimpse of Santana in the crowd and the butterflies in her stomach just tripled.

When she finally stood in front of Luke, she reached up on her feet as Luke pulled her in for a tight hug. "It's nice to see you again, kiddo…" The man said with teary eyes. He looked so badass but really, he was one of the most sensible people Dani ever met.

"It's good to be back here again." Dani mumbled out on his shoulder, returning the hug with the same amount of grit.

She smiled one last time to the man and kissed him on the cheek before she made her way to the stage. She settled down on a stool, throwing her gaze toward the crowd. She made a mental note of where Santana was sitting, intending on stealing glances toward the woman as much as she could. She looked behind her, making sure her band was ready. When they gave her the thumbs up, she turned back facing the crowd who was more than eager to hear her sing. She cleared her throat as she inched closer to the mic. She cast one last look toward Santana and she could make out a smile on the Latina's face, somehow the nerves died down a bit. _Okay, here goes…_

* * *

"I'm so glad that everyone is having fun. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you coming out here to see me perform…even though I practically forced some of you to come…" Dani gestured toward the YUC kids on her right, elicited a light laughter from the bunch and a couple 'I love yous' thrown at her. She blew a kiss their way before she spoke up again. "And thank you for sticking by me and my music. You guys have given me the strength to move forward. Coming back here reminds me of how far I've come…" She looked at Luke who was standing by the counter on her left, "…and I will never forget where I came from, this place will always be my home. Thanks, Luke." The bearded guy saluted her by raising his glass.

"Okay, enough of those corny lines. This last song I'm gonna sing to you is actually something new. I started writing this a long time ago but I got around on finishing it when I was touring in Europe. So everyone in this room are gonna be the first ones to hear this song…well my band mates already heard it, and my manager, and my parents… Okay, so you're not the first ones…" The crowd once again burst in laughter that cause Dani to grin before her face turned serious and she focused on the guitar she was holding, she spoke up to the mic. "So, this is Fragments of Us…"

Santana couldn't tear her gaze from the blonde singer all night long, though several times she would glance around to observe the room, to see the looks on people's face and how they reacted to Dani's performance. She also had to keep an eye out for the group of kids she was responsible for. But now that Dani was about to sing something she hadn't ever heard before, she shifted her whole attention toward her. She drowned out the crowd and she let Dani filled all of her senses. She watched as Dani started to strum her guitar gently, a soft and calm melody flowing out and it gave chills down her spine.

(Verse 1)

_You cried in your sleep _

_And I'd never seen anything truer than that_

_I knew you were lost_

_How I wished I was still your guiding light_

_You screamed out_

_But all I heard was echoes in my mind_

_When did it get so wrong?_

(Chorus)

_With these little steps_

_I've come back to where it all began_

_The wind whispers our song_

_Baby, you're not here to listen_

_I can still see the stars lined up for me_

_But they no longer shine my way to you_

As Dani sang out her new song, Santana made sure that she would listen to the lyrics closely, leaving them embedded in her heart. She saw how Dani's face was contorted in sadness and pain, but there was also a hint of relief and hope. She could only wish she knew what was going through her mind and even more, she wished she could be the one to ease her pain. She shook her head internally, reprimanding herself for her absurd thoughts. There was a connection between them, Santana was sure of that, and she knew Dani also felt it. But what was the possibility of them being together? _None. _Santana though as she listened on how the song progressed.

(Verse 2)

_Those eyes used to sparkle_

_Out of love and laughter_

_And when you smiled_

_Yes, the world was so much brighter_

_But then we forgot to stop_

_Until it was too late and we faltered_

_How could we be so blind?_

(Chorus)

_With these little steps_

_I've come back to where it all began_

_The wind whispers our song_

_Baby, you're not here to listen_

_I can still see the stars lined up for me_

_But they no longer shine my way to you_

(Bridge)

_Standing here in this empty space_

_Surrounded by our memories_

_I've lost my way home_

_Cause with you was where I belonged_

_But baby, we were wrong_

_And all I'm left with is fragments of us_

As Dani got to the last past of her song, she looked up, her eyes searching for Santana's. In a fleeting moment, their eyes locked with each other and nothing else existed. She wished to bear her soul, all of her, to this woman she barely knew. If Dani was to believe in soul mates or past lives, she was sure Santana was her better half and that they had met many times before. There was something about Santana, something she couldn't really fathom. And the endless possibilities scared her but she told herself not to back away, she told herself to follow the little voice in her.

_Yes, with these little steps I've come_

_I can still see the stars lined up for me_

_But they no longer shine my way to you_

_Baby, I was wrong..._

When Dani finished the song, the room went wild. People were on their feet, clapping and cheering hard. She stood up and put aside her guitar. She slightly bowed down to show her appreciation. She couldn't help herself, she looked back to where Santana was sitting and her breath hitched. Santana was standing up, clapping along with the rest of the crowd, she had tears in her eyes, and they even stained her cheeks. But she was smiling at Dani, that warm thoughtful smile. With that, Dani _knew_. Santana got her.

* * *

Before Dani got to the backroom, after an impromptu photo and autograph session, she sent out Adam to talk to Santana. Her manager of course had been teasing her relentlessly about her blatant crush toward Santana and Dani tried so hard to ignore or deny, though it was to no avail. Her face couldn't really lie and Adam knew her all too well. She knew Santana would stick around longer to make sure the group was sorted out on getting home and then she might have a chance to talk to her again. She was changing out of her sweaty clothes, when she heard her phone buzzed.

_I got Santana with me. And the coast is clear; people thought you already left the scene. -Adam_

There was a sudden jolt that caused her heart to beat more rapidly. She quickly typed out her reply.

_I'll be right out, don't you dare tell her any embarrassing story about me! – Dani_

She went through her stuff, making sure everything was packed when she heard another buzz.

_Oops, too little too late :P – Adam_

_That bastard._ Dani thought as she immediately stormed out the room.

* * *

When she entered the center room, she saw Santana still sitting on the same table. Santana didn't see her coming in as her back was to the backroom door. Dani approached the table tentatively, mulling over things to say, hoping that she wouldn't make a fool of herself.

"Dani!" Adam exclaimed in over-excitement.

_Of course, you're just out to get me, aren't you? _Dani cursed her manager internally. She rarely showed interest toward anyone so when she did; Adam would make it into such a big deal.

She was gonna give him a piece of her mind. But anything else had to wait, cause when Santana turned around and she could really see her gorgeous face closely, her brain went on a frenzy. _How can you be so beautiful?_

"Hey, you were so great up there…" Santana said, her arms tentatively reaching out to pull Dani in a hug and the blonde didn't waste any time before she stepped into the warm embrace.

The hug only lasted for a few seconds, much to her dismay, but Dani recovered from it fast as she gave Santana her best smile, "…thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it." She let her hand rest on Santana's arm and she was happy that the woman didn't shy away from it. Dani glanced over Santana's shoulder and saw Adam standing up, gesturing that he was gonna get the car and then he gave her a thumbs up with a silly grin on his face.

Dani tried her hardest not to roll her eyes. _Finally! Now I can be alone with her. Wait, I'm alone with her. What should I do, what should I say? _Dani didn't understand how she turned into a mush whenever she was around Santana, and it was only her second time around. She didn't dare to think of a chance that there could be a next time; she knew she would still be a mumbling mess.

"Dani, are you okay?" Santana asked in concern as she watched the faraway look on Dani's face. One minute they were talking, the next minute Dani was lost in her own world. Santana thought it was endearing but she also wanted to make sure that Dani was okay.

"Uh, yeah, yeah…Ha, ha, sorry…" Dani chuckled nervously, tilting her head to the side. "Anyway, I'm so glad you came tonight. I was…expecting to see you again." Dani blurted out, her mind unconsciously mustered up the courage to actually say the truth. _Fuck it, I'll take my chances._

Santana blushed furiously at that confession, she felt like a teenager again. Her hands were all clammy and her heart was pounding hard. She instinctively looked down at her shoes, faltering under Dani's gaze. _No, Santana, no! You're not supposed to like her. You don't stand a chance. _When she heard Dani speaking up again, she dared herself to catch the singer's eyes.

"So… what do you say?"

_What do you mean what do I say. God, you're a freaking idiot Santana. _Santana took a deep breath and she gulped a lump on her throat, she needed to pull her act together. "I'm sorry, I-I didn't quite catch that…" Santana stuttered out.

Dani's eyes widen in amusement, she shook her head slightly with a relief smile on her face. _Guess I'm not the only who's nervous here._ She quickly repeated her question, with much more confidence in her tone.

"I asked you, can I give you a ride home?"

* * *

**P.S. **Do tell me what you think about this chapter, reviews would be truly appreciated! Ah, **disclaimer**, those lyrics are mine. I kinda wished that we have this more advanced technology where I can link the melody as the lyrics are written so you will know how the song goes, but of course, it's only wishful thinking. But maybe this way, you can come up with your own melody, I'm sure there are a lot of talented musicians among you.

*I'm not saying that the lyrics are _that_ good to make you want to come up with a melody *I'm not vain *I promise you!

Anyway, till next time!


	3. Ch 3 : Process

**Author's Note: **My apologies for taking so long to update but I can assure you that I always finish what I started. I wish I could write all the time, but of course I can't put my life on hold. I have two jobs to maintain and several side projects lining up, so I'm very busy. And I'd been very sick so I hadn't got the energy to write. I really appreciate your patience and I wish you would all stick with me till the end. I can't thank you enough for your constant support through your reviews, favorites, and follows. But I hope my humble writing could at least entertain you.

**kilikou and Rayveyone: **I'm glad that you like the song lyric and it affected you in a way that I never thought I could ever get across through my writing. Thank you for your kind words. Can't wait to share more of my story with you.

**For the name of: **I wish I had that kind of big brother figure, that's why I write Adam the way he is. You could say I'm compensating haha. I'm glad you enjoy the characterization as well; I had fun writing the nervous and quirky exchanges they have so far. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

**H2-M2: **And your review got me excited too! I just wish I could reply to you directly. But anyway, thank you for dropping by!

**To all the guest reviewers: **Thank you so much for your encouraging words. You asked for more and so I present to you this next chapter…Enjoy!

* * *

_She was nibbling her pen between her lips with her eyebrows scrunched up. She had been studying for an upcoming trig test by doing some of the exercises on her textbook. She didn't exactly love going to school or doing homework, but she was good at it. She was an honorary student, top of her class and she planned it to stay that way. She didn't mind all the hard work she had to put up with, she knew it was her only chance of getting out. Her academic achievement was her only chance of a new beginning, somewhere far away where she could start anew; where she'd be safe. She could just run away, it would be the easy solution but she was smarter than that, she had to be. She knew she wouldn't survive a week out there by herself without any guarantee of a better life. But if she worked hard enough, if she got that scholarship she had been aiming for, she would have a lot less to worry about for when she finally break free from this hellhole that…_

_She quickly jerked up in her seat when she heard the familiar slamming of a car door. She glanced over to her right, seeing that it was already past midnight. She took a sharp breath, knowing all so well what it meant if he got home that late. _He must be drunk again. _She thought. She hastily got on her feet, strolling to her door, making sure that the lock was in place. She was about to turn her body around when she heard the commotion outside of her door. She heard her voice, how could she not? The woman outside her door was once again yelling all the profanities that existed on the book. She froze in place; her feet were unable to move. They kept shouting at each other, over the same old issues. Then she heard the line she had always dreaded. "Where is she?!" _

_She took a step back, fully knowing what would happen in the next few seconds. She could see him making his way toward her door; the shadow projecting from the small gap under her door had become a warning sign of the probable end of her miserable life. She looked at the door handle, that soon rattling with force. He began slamming at it as she retreated to the other side of her bed, her back to the door. The loud noise of his voice and his fist against the wooden door reverberating throughout her room and it took everything in her not to break down. She hugged her legs tight against her chest, burying her head on her knees. _Stop, stop. Please just stop. _She chanted over and over again. _

"_Open this door, you little piece of shit!" He screamed with his slurred voice. "This is my house, you don't lock doors here! Open up!" He kept on banging and kicking the door. _

_She pressed her palms hard on the side of her head, trying to drown out everything. She knew it was useless, because the loudest sound came from inside her mind. His words over the years playing out as if it was her own conscience, 'you're worthless, you're nothing'. She wanted to scream, she wanted to run. She believed those words, she believed that she wasn't worthy of love… and even worse, of life itself._

* * *

All Dani wanted to do was to reach out and take Santana's hand in hers but she didn't want to be too forward so she just sat there while she listened on everything the older girl uttered out of her mouth. She had noticed how collected and calm Santana had been around the kids from YUC, but now that there were only the two of them in the backseat of Dani's car, she seemed to let loose a bit, stripping off her professional exterior. Dani asked all the essential questions like where Santana was originally from, how she ended up living in New York, the whole nine yard. Santana shared just enough of her past, as much as she could. Taking account that Dani was technically a stranger to her, she wouldn't reveal too much. She used to keep things to herself anyway so she answered Dani's questions out of politeness.

Dani learned that Santana grew up in Ohio but then moved to Chicago when she was 11 and when she was 18, she moved up her life to New York to attend college and everything just snowballed from there. Dani wouldn't point it out but she felt like Santana was a little bit restless talking about her past, so she didn't push it. It was after all their second encounter, there was not much to expect. Dani was kinda relieved that Santana barely knew about her past. She told Dani that she liked her music but she had rarely read the news or those gossip websites on Dani's personal life. So when Santana asked her all these questions, Dani could see that she was genuinely curious to actually know her, beyond her 'superstar' persona.

"So you'd always wanted to be a singer?"

"Honestly growing up I thought I was going to be a teacher like my mom. I've always loved children and I wanted to make a difference in someone's life, I think being a teacher is one of the most honorable jobs. People like that literally change the world every single day… Kinda like what you do actually…" Dani completed, dipping her head a bit with a shy smile on her face. She wasn't really a smooth talker, despite what everyone thought.

Santana chuckled nervously, usually she would take compliments in stride, but Dani made her feel like a teenager again. "Um, thanks… But, I can say the same thing about you. You have also changed many people's lives…" She recovered quickly, looking up to catch Dani's eyes. "Your voice and songs, your story. They make a difference in this world…" _Gosh, Santana, lame much? You're such a fifth grader._

Dani could never get used to people saying all these nice stuff about her. She was so self-conscious about herself, but Dani gave out a contented smile with a slight hint of doubt. "You think so?" Dani asked for reassurance.

Santana could see that Dani wasn't being vain and trying to boost her ego up. It would be understandable for Dani to be a little bit proud at what she had accomplished at such a young age, but the star was the opposite of that, which intrigued Santana even more. "I don't _think _so. I _believe _so."

"Thanks Santana, that means a lot…" Dani smiled sincerely, for a while she believed that she was worthy. And it baffled her that someone she just got to know have that effect on her, Santana made her feel good about herself.

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Santana glanced up and noticed that they were already reaching her street. "Ah, this is where I get off…"

Dani glanced over her shoulder, as she was sitting kinda sideways, directing her body toward Santana. She sighed silently, disappointment washed over her. She wanted to spend more time with Santana, but she didn't let her feeling show. She turned her head to look at Santana again as the girl pointed out her apartment building. Dani quickly told Winston to stop the car. As they came to a halt, Dani directed her body completely toward the girl sitting next to her. "I guess this is it…" She trailed off, not knowing exactly what to say. She glanced over to her right, seeing Adam make a gesture of a phone with his fingers on the side of his head through the middle rearview mirror. _Don't you think I know that already?_ She gave out a warning look to her manager, not wanting Santana to catch what was going on.

Santana actually saw the not so subtle gesture Adam had exchanged with Dani, she once again got amused by it. She really hoped Dani would ask for her phone number, because who is she to ask a superstar's phone number? She didn't feel like she was worthy of that information. "I had a really great time tonight, Dani. I'm glad that my first ever concert were you…"

"It wasn't really a concert…" Dani dismissed nonchalantly before realization hit her. "Wait, you've never been to a concert before?" She asked in surprise.

"No, I haven't, didn't have time for it I guess… But like I said, your show tonight was quite memorable; I bet it was far better than most big concerts are." Santana affirmed sincerely. "Um…" She glanced over behind Dani's back.

Dani caught the meaning of the gaze quickly. "Ah, right, sorry…" She quipped as she pushed the car door open and got out. She shifted behind the door, letting Santana slide out of the car.

Once Santana got out, Dani closed the door lightly and then she followed behind the girl who was already making her way to her apartment building's entrance. The short walk was filled with complete silence as Dani raked her brain off, trying to find a casual, non-creepy way to ask for Santana's number. As they arrived at the bottom of the steps, Dani finally focused her gaze once more at the tanned beauty.

Santana turned her body around to face Dani. "Thank you for the ride home. I'm sorry you have to go all the way to Brooklyn…"

"I don't mind." Dani interjected instantly. "I wouldn't want you going home by yourself this late anyway. New York isn't really that safe…" Dani muttered out, brushing the back of her head, while her other hand was shoved deep in her jacket's pocket.

Santana bowed her head down, a wide smile painted her face. "Still…thank you. I guess this is goodbye then?" She looked up expectantly. _Please say no, please don't let this be the last time I see your beautiful face._

"I-I guess…Unless…" Dani trailed off, unsure of what she was about to propose to Santana. _Unless you wouldn't find it weird for me to ask you out on a date... _But she knew she could never be that bold.

"Unless?" Santana arched her eyebrows, her heart thumping in her chest.

"I…Well, I will be in New York most of the times, since my tour is over and I only have several gigs line up…but it's gonna be far in between for the next 4 months…and maybe several appearances on radio and TV interviews that are gonna take place mostly in LA but…Um…" Dani stammered, how she manages to make a living out of singing in front of million people, she does not know. "I mean…"

"Ask her out already, dude!" Adam shouted from his seat, poking his head out off the window. Obviously he and Winston had been watching the awkward interaction between Dani and Santana.

Dani immediately glared at them, which caused Adam to grin mischievously and Winston tried to stifle a laugh. Dani mouthed out 'I will kill you!' causing Winston to hastily close the window shield, with a look of remorse on his face. She exhaled loudly, thinking that she had missed the chance to actually ask Santana out gracefully. "So…" She started as she looked back to Santana.

"So…" Santana smirked amusingly, she felt bad for Dani but clearly she didn't mind Adam's antics if it would push Dani to actually ask her out.

"So…Yeah, um, do you maybe want to go out for coffee some time?" Dani bit her bottom lip out of habit, she looked at Santana timidly.

Santana began to realize how she loved looking at Dani's lips, those full luscious lips and she could even imagine how incredible it would feel to kiss those lips, to suck and bite… _Okay, get a grip Lopez, stop your perverse mind! _"I would love to, Dani…" She shared the same amount of nerves, tucking her hair behind her ear as she slightly dipped her head. Apparently looking at her shoes had become one of the habits she needed to get used to when Dani was around.

"Cool!" Dani exclaimed excitedly, grinning ear to ear. This incredible woman had agreed to go out with her, she wanted to shout it out off a rooftop, she could practically write a song about this, she wished she would someday; write a love song for Santana.

"I'll see you around?" Santana glanced up, smiling contentedly, her hands wrung in front of her body, trying to control the trembling caused by the over-excitement.

"That's for sure…" Dani began, "until later then, Senorita…" She took a step forward, running her hand on Santana's forearm. She basked at how smooth the skin felt under her touch. She realized how weird it was; being so affected by someone she met not so long ago. But she didn't want to deny the spark she felt as she was touching this woman who had fascinated her since the first time she ever laid eyes on her. When she finally gathered up the courage, she held Santana's palm and lifted it slowly, giving a gentle kiss on the back of the hand.

It was such an innocent act, but Santana's breath hitched in her throat. She was unmoved with disbelief. Everything felt so surreal. This girl, this amazing gorgeous girl who she only had seen on TV and heard on the radio was holding her hand, gently kissing it with sincerity and appreciation. She told herself to take a breath, she demanded her mind to react, and she wished her heart would stop beating so hard. It had been a while since Santana felt that way and if she was honest, she didn't think she ever felt anything like that before. She never let her guards down to actually feel something toward anyone.

Dani noticed her reaction, or the lack of reaction from the girl. She knew it was right not to push for anything more. She reluctantly pulled her hand back as she took a step backward. Looking up, she waved at Santana who finally managed to get her composure back and smiled at the young singer. After several steps, she turned around, walking towards her car and she saw Adam was giving her this look then she finally realized…

"Shit!" She immediately stopped her tracks, slapping her forehead. She looked back and jogged toward Santana once more, relieved that she was still standing on her front steps.

"Did you forget something?" Santana smirked smugly; she liked how clumsy and awkward Dani seemed to be. It lessened the pressure, like she didn't have to try too hard to impress Dani because she knew Dani is the kind of person who sees something beyond the surface.

"Uh…yeah…ha…" Dani chuckled anxiously, "can…can I have your phone number…please?" She muttered out as she reached for her phone and then handed it to Santana.

"I thought you'd never ask…" Santana teased as she took Dani's phone and hastily jutted down her number. "There…" She gave the phone back, letting her fingertips graze Dani's palm.

Dani's skin tingled and she wished that the night didn't have to end. She looked up Santana's contact and quickly made a call. When she saw Santana reaching out for her phone in her purse, she smiled solemnly as shoved her phone in her pocket, gazing at Santana's eyes. "Just so you don't get confused when I text you later on…"

Santana made sure that she had the number saved in her phone, before she turned her attention back to Dani. "Then I will expect a text soon enough…" She said playfully.

"You can count on it…" Dani affirmed genuinely. Once again she found herself looking at those mesmerizing brown eyes and her nerves just tripled. She rocked back and forth on her heels. "Okay, so I thought I had pulled off the perfect move to end the night, but now I'm not sure how I'm gonna top that…" She admitted sheepishly.

Santana giggled at the admission, Dani grew on her more and more as each second passed. She contemplated on her next move before she took a step closer to Dani, making her stand right in front of the singer. She saw how Dani's eyes widen and she could have sworn that she heard her gulp rather ungracefully. She smirked at the desired effect and hoped that Dani wouldn't be too disappointed at her true intention. "Then let me be the one who ends the night this time…" She said as she leaned closer. She could feel Dani's breath on her face and how the younger girl just froze in place. Instead of going for those lips she had wanted to kiss so badly, she went for a peck on Dani's cheek and she let her lips linger on the soft and warm flesh for a few seconds.

Dani felt like she was in a daze or a dream and she didn't want to snap back to reality. She would like for Santana's lips to keep kissing her all over. Santana had only kissed one spot and she felt it everywhere, she didn't dare to imagine how it would feel when those lips press against hers. She felt Santana pulling back and as she got back all of her senses, a stupid wide grin starting to form on her face and she was sure it would stay there for at least the rest of the weekend.

Santana enjoyed the effect she had on Dani. As she pulled back, she eyed Dani flirtatiously and smiled slyly. "Goodnight, Dani…" She said almost in a whispered voice. She could not believe how she managed to go back and forth between different sides of her personality, but it was just what Dani did to her and for now she didn't bother to try to make sense of it all. She spun around ascending the steps and when she got to the door, she waited for Dani to say something.

Breaking out of her fleeting trance, Dani tilted her head as she watched Santana made her way inside the building. "Goodnight Santana…" She breathed out as she waved awkwardly for their final goodbye. When the door finally closed and she was sure that Santana couldn't see her, she did a fist pump and a dorky dance, forgetting the fact that the two men inside her car were watching her. She didn't care though; she just had one of the best nights of her life.

She made her way back to her car, ignoring the teasing look Adam was throwing at her. She got inside the car and before Adam could turn his body around in his seat, she instantly warned him, "don't you dare ruin my perfect mood…," which caused Adam to make a scene of sealing off his lips and then throw the invisible key. Honestly, he was just seriously happy for Dani.

As Dani began to replay the whole night in her head, leaning her chin on her propped elbow against the crease of the door, she felt her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and gasped, seeing the name that flashed on the screen. She didn't think Santana would text her first and so soon at that. She opened the message like there was no tomorrow and then she finally understood when people say that they could die out of embarrassment.

_I saw your little dance…And I think it's cute. Good night, Dani :) __ -Santana_

* * *

**P.S. **I know this is rather on the short side compared to previous chapter. I just want to keep the process going, slowly but surely. You will soon see that I'm all about taking it slow and make it believable.

Do tell me what you think of this chapter, reviews will be truly appreciated! Or you can tell me through PM if you want to avoid public's eyes. Feel free to drop by anytime, even if it's just for telling me "oh my freaking god, Demi Lovato's pink hair is cute! It reminds me of cotton candy and I just wanna lick it…" or something less awkward and creepy than that. Don't mind me, really…

Till next time!


	4. Ch 4 : Taking Chances

**Author's Note: **The amount of support I've got for this story blow my mind, thank you! And I hope you are all patient enough to wait on updates, I would never leave you hanging for too long if I could help it, but I also wouldn't rush the power of inspiration for the sake of updating within some time line. And when I'm busy, inspiration deludes me. For being so understanding, I could only offer you my warmest gratitude. Now, fair warning, I did put down Hurt/Comfort as one of the genres so sometimes they're being cute and other times…Well, you can see for yourself.

**kilikou:** oh my, I love your review, please tell your mom I'm sorry,haha… And thank you so much for your kind words, I'm glad that you've enjoyed this story so far and I can't thank you enough for your support, hopefully I won't disappoint. Can't wait to hear from you again! :)

**fudge Dani: **yes, I'll try not to be burdened by it, I think I'm getting there, your review makes it easier, thank you! :)

**Guests: **Thank you for dropping by. You are awesome! And here I present to you the next chapter as requested...

* * *

_She saw as the strange light blinded her eyes, flashes of the day's memory enveloped her as she welcomed the inevitable. She heard everything, the crumpling and crunching of metal etched in her brain. The next thing she knew was her eyes never felt so heavy, she was lulled to sleep, even though her mind screamed that she had to stay awake. As she was barely back to her consciousness, all she could hear was the ringing in her ears. She couldn't move without grunting loudly, every single fiber in her body hurt. But what hurt the most was the uncertainty. _

_She was in the dark, figuratively and literally. She didn't care if she was dying. She didn't care if she was about to take her last breath. All she needed to know, all she needed at all, was for the girl beside her to be safe. Alive. _Please be alive. _She prayed to the unknown higher power she always believed in. She tried to move her right hand, reaching out for the girl. But she was greeted by unbearable pain, as she cried out, realizing that maybe her shoulder or collar bone had been broken, she really couldn't figure it out. Everything hurt. _

_She called out the girl's name, hoping that she would get a response; a whisper, a faint breath, anything. She just wanted to hear her voice. But she heard nothing, nothing other than her own ragged breaths and her strained voice. She then noticed the warm moisture painted the side of her face, dripping silently, yet the sound echoed all over her. Her vision getting blurred with tears but she finally made out the shape of the girl beside her. Her body unmoving, her chest wasn't rising and collapsing with air. She forced herself to drag her body closer, she didn't care when a jolt of agony wash her all over. _

_She just needed to know, she needed to make sure that she hadn't lost her. She couldn't bare the thought of losing the light of her life. She wouldn't survive, the girl wasn't supposed to be there with her; this was not supposed to happen to them. It wasn't fair and nothing was right. She finally found the girl's hand and she tugged on it lightly, hoping that she would get any kind of physical proof that the girl was still with her. She whispered her name once again, her throat throbbed with ache as she started to gargle and spit out blood. She didn't care, she kept on calling out. It felt like hours and she began to lose the fight._

_From the corner of her eye, she caught flashes of white, blue and red. She should be relieved but the unmistakable gloom threatened to seep in once again, distorting her vision. She chanted out softly, 'please, please, please,' she needed a sign, that hope was not lost. She tighten her grip on the girl's hand and then she felt it, it was faint and weak, but she felt it, the girl was moving her fingers, responding to her. She whispered, "I'm here, everything is gonna be okay. Please just stay with me…" And when she heard the muffled voice from the girl, though it was as thin as the air surrounding them, she finally gave in, closing her eyes but not letting go of the girl's hand. She would never let go._

* * *

She was pacing back and forth in her living room, her mind raced, struggling to make a decision. She knew that if she took the next step then there was no going back. This was it. Do or die, to be or not to be, and whatever those random quotes said. This…was…_it. _A click of a button, or rather a soft touch on her screen would determine the rest of her life and it scared her. What if she made the wrong decision? What if she couldn't live with the consequences? _When did you become a complete dramatic, Harper?_

"Dani! Are you even listening to me?" Adam remarked, annoyed for the lack of attention from the singer.

"Yeah, yeah, a show in Chicago on Saturday, an appearance on Good Morning America, an interview on The Late Night Show, a performance at another Top Shop opening… I am listening; you know I can multitask…" Dani retorted, waving her hand dismissively.

"Well, I'm impressed. But really, can you please stop? You're giving me a headache…" Adam countered, flopping backwards on the couch as he loosened up a bit. "What's up with you anyway?"

Dani shrugged as she kept making a visible pattern on her fuzzy carpet. Her eyes focused on her phone, on a purchase she was about to make…or not. She couldn't decide. _Why can't I decide? This is not supposed to be this hard. _She heard her manager slightly chuckle, snapping her out of her racing mind. "What?" She snarled, giving Adam her death glare.

"You know you're acting like such a teenager right now? Why don't you just pick a flower and then do the whole 'she loves me, she loves me not', that would be fun to watch." Adam teased, knowing the true cause of Dani's restlessness.

"I am not!" Dani began to argue, earning a quirk eyebrow. Adam knew her too well. "Okay, fine, maybe I am…" Dani huffed irritably, throwing herself on the couch.

"What is it this time? You haven't started having some kinky dreams about her, right…?"

"Ew! Stop! Why did I even think I should ask your advice…" Dani grimaced; she was not in the mood for joking around. She slapped Adam's shoulder rather harshly.

"Alright, jeez, I didn't know it was this serious…" Adam put up his hands in mock surrender. "Just talk to me man. What's about Santana this time?"

"You said that as if she's all I talk about lately…" Another eyebrow quirk, "…fine, she's all I talk about lately… I just don't know what to do. I want to ask her out again, but would that be too soon?" Dani elaborated, glancing at the man sitting beside her.

"Well you did just go out on that coffee date two days ago…"

"Right, so it's too soon…"

"Can you let me finish? You went on a coffee date two days ago and it was great, right? At least from what you told me, you both enjoyed it…" Adam trailed off, looking at Dani incredulously, even the mention of the successful coffee date managed to make the young star's mind wander.

Ah, the coffee date, yes it was all Dani could think about. She mustered up the courage to officially ask Santana out for that simple date on the following weekend after the whole debacle of dropping Santana home and being caught doing a very, _very, _shameful dance moves. Which Santana found very cute, but maybe she was just too nice. Dani knew very well how awkward her dance moves really are. But the coffee date was perfect. It only strengthened the connection she felt with the older girl and she was sure Santana felt the same way.

They had been texting almost non-stop ever since that night, a playful flirting session might happen every now and then, but it was harmless, it was fun. She was just eager to know more about Santana. She had even started a mental note on all the little things Santana would do. Like how she would flip her hair sideways occasionally, how her eyes sparkle every time she talks about the things she's so passionate about, how she would look at Dani intently when the singer share her more of her life story. And that sexy smirk, gosh that smirk, how could she erase that from her mind?

Dani felt an instant comfort with Santana, and she couldn't for the life of her figure out why. With everything that had happened in her past, she was not one to let people get close to her so easily. She needed to protect herself; she wouldn't let herself go through the same heartache. But Santana seemed to have this ability to strip away Dani's defense little by little. And Dani didn't mind, there was a sense of familiarity she found in Santana. Her gut feeling told her that for once this stranger actually got her.

The way Santana carried herself around Dani, it was effortless, she didn't try to impress Dani, and from the very beginning, she treated Dani as someone normal. Yes, she admitted that she admired Dani's music and story but then she made Dani feel like she was being appreciated as a person, as all that she was underneath the whole star persona. She was just an ordinary girl and Santana got that. They talked and talked about the silliest things, nothing felt forced or staged, it was just as if they had been in each other's lives for years. It felt like they had known each other forever yet forever was not enough, Dani needed to know her more.

"You really need to stop dazing off like that…" Adam noted, giving Dani a playful nudge.

"What is this, Adam?" Dani asked exasperatedly, she didn't trust her mind to answer her own doubt because she knew her heart would get in the way.

"Well, you like her, _duh. _I thought people who could play musical instruments are supposed to be smart or something…" Adam mocked, he wanted Dani to not struggle with something so trivial even though he was aware with all the reasons why Dani would second guess everything. Getting no response from Dani, Adam continued, "I know you're wary after everything with…" He stopped, internally kicking himself.

"You can say her name; I'm not gonna self-combust from hearing it…" Dani picked up on Adam's hesitance.

"Well, I'd rather not. It brings a certain scent of bitterness in my mouth and you ran out of ice cream…" Adam shrugged nonchalantly, "my point is…it's been a while and I haven't seen you this…happy and excited over someone. I think you should give Santana a chance; you should give _yourself _another chance. You are drawn to her for a reason, right?"

Dani sat still, her fingers fiddled with her phone. She had noticed how Santana easily draw her in, it was in the way Santana called out her name so reverently, it was in the way she would slightly blush and tuck strain of hair behind her ear whenever Dani gave her a compliment, it was the honesty in her eyes and the sincerity in her voice, how she cared for others beyond the realm of obligations and expectations in her line of work, it was just who she is, a compassionate human being. And what intrigued her more was that Santana didn't seem to realize all these incredible things about her.

"So it's okay to ask her out again?" Dani asked in a small voice, somehow she was nervous and uncertain about it.

"It's okay to just follow what your heart wants. You deserve another shot, Dan…" Adam said reassuringly. He patted Dani thigh a couple times before standing up and making his way to the kitchen area. "I think I should make something sweet for us both…" He opened up the cabinet holding a box of pancake mix. "Pancakes, yay or nay?"

Dani tilted her head as she glanced back over her shoulder, catching Adam's eyes as he was smiling gently, silently giving out his approval and encouragement. "Yay." Dani answered softly, thanking him with a sweet smile. They always had this unspoken way of expressing their gratitude.

Dani's head snapped back up front as she gazed at her phone screen once more. "Ah, screw it…" She mumbled as she grazed through her thumb on the smooth surface, her mind was made up and a text was finally sent.

* * *

Santana Lopez surely had a massive self-control, she could easily open her laptop and type away any information she would want to know about Dani, but she hadn't. She was curious, of course, but it felt disrespectful, like she was prying and breaking Dani's trust. And that was the one thing she didn't want to do. She was finally settled in this comfortable line of interaction with the young singer and she wouldn't do anything that could jeopardize that.

She liked Dani; that much she knew. Whether it was something romantic or not, she hadn't decided. Okay, who was she kidding; she knew exactly how she hoped that it would grow into something romantic. She realized that it might be hopeless; the fact that she was no one and Dani was practically one of the most famous artists on the planet hadn't escaped her attention. She is a confident woman, but of course confidence can only go that far.

But really who wouldn't like Dani? From everything she had gathered so far, she could see how kind and genuine Dani was. She was not someone who would do things to keep up appearances. Dani is humble and grounded, she takes pride in what she does, Santana could clearly see that, but it wasn't the kind of full of herself pride, it was the knowledge that what she does have this positive affect on people. Fame meant nothing for Dani; all the awards and recognitions she got hadn't changed who she really was.

Santana had a glimpse of what Dani was like and she was already hooked. Even if they didn't end up as lovers, she would be just fine being friends with Dani. It would be enough for her once hollow life to just have that contagious laugh and giggle; that breathtaking smile and captivating deep brown eyes; that dorky playful pout; that mesmerizing and inspiring voice; that beautiful heart and…seriously, who was she kidding? Being friends would not be enough, but for now she would settle.

_Okay, now focus on your work, Lopez, enough day-dreaming. _Santana got her focus back on the paperwork she was working on when she heard a knock on her door.

"Come in…"

She saved up the document as Madison sauntered into her office. "How can I help you, Madison?"

"Ah, please San, when will you stop being so formal, whatever happens to saying 'yo, what's up?'" Madison joked, waving her hand dismissively.

Santana gave out a shy smile, bowing her head down. "I'm sorry, I'm getting used to it…"

"Well, you've been working here for almost a year, it's okay to just let loose a bit. I'm your boss, but I'm also your equal colleague and above all, I'm your friend…" Madison pointed out, perching down on the armchair set in the corner of Santana's office.

Madison's comment strike a chord, Santana knew exactly how she put up these barriers, these walls with everyone she interacted with, she would reason that she was being professional but really she knew that was not the truth. She could give out these vibes that make all the kids in her therapy groups build this a sense of trust so it wouldn't be hard to get them to confide in her. It didn't mean that she didn't genuinely care. She cared greatly, with all of her being. But she let no one to actually see her beneath her professional exterior, it was like, she would give everything she was and everything she had but she wouldn't receive anything in return.

"And as your friend, I would like to remind you that there's this office party with our other branch in New York and though it's not mandatory, I truly hope you will attend…" Madison continued, oblivious with the internal train of thoughts Santana had.

"Yeah…Um, sure, I'll do my best to come." Santana smiled charmingly.

"Okay, that's settled then!" Madison tapped the armrest enthusiastically before getting up. "And what are you still doing in front of your computer? It's almost 5 already, don't make me look like I'm a slave driver, get ready and go home, will you?" Madison quipped, she really was nice and laid back, she truly cared about the well being of her employees and even though she respected and admired Santana's work ethic, she didn't want her to work too hard.

"Right, aye aye Captain!" Santana chuckled, giving her boss a mock salute.

"That's more like it, Lopez! I'll see you on Monday!"

Santana shook her head, amused by her boss' antics. She was so grateful for her job at YUC. It was everything she had ever dreamed of when she first enrolled at NYU and chose Psychology as her major. She was determined to help people, after everything she had gone through in her younger years, it felt right to just turn her life around and be someone who was actually worthy. Because then maybe, all of her scars and dark memories wouldn't define her anymore.

For once everything was going right in her life and she couldn't help but be hopeful. She wouldn't ask for more and she had stopped long ago on hoping to change her past, she knew better than that. She was now working on a better future and maybe that future would consist of someone special, maybe like any other people her age she could finally have someone to be called 'mine'. And maybe, just maybe, that someone could be Dani. She scoffed inwardly, thinking how silly she had been.

She turned off her computer, gathered her stuff and took one last glance at her office before stepping out, ready to head home where she could just get back to her boring routine of reading book and watching trashy TV show. It was the weekend and all she wanted to do was to hole up in her apartment. When she first got to New York, every little bit of the city fascinated her. She explored every tourist sites; she frequented a lot of clubs and bars on the weekend. But those days had passed and she had had enough of everything. So for now, she would just retreat back to her humble abode and just be.

* * *

Santana was opening the door to her building when she felt her phone buzz on her coat's pocket. She walked toward the stairs as she took out her phone, a flash of smile painted her face seeing the name on her screen.

_I spy with my little eye something beginning with D. –Dani_

Santana tilted her head, it had been a while since she last had someone text her with the most random things, but she wouldn't deny, her stomach dipped whenever Dani texted her.

_Are you checking yourself out in the mirror? –Santana_

Santana smirked and continued making her way to her floor, she always took the stairs, it was her way to compensate for the lack of exercise in her life lately. She had been so busy and hadn't come to the gym for more than a month.

_Touché Lopez, you know me so well. But for once I'm not that vain… Focus on the game, will you? I spy with my little eye something dark blue. –Dani_

Santana shook her head, with the same smile still etched on her face. She couldn't figure out how they could easily fall into this routine. Some days they would text each other the most sophisticated things and other days they would just play around like teenagers, teasing and flirting with each other.

_Hmm, a beautiful dress you're wearing while you're looking at yourself in the mirror? –Santana_

She picked up her pace, wanting to just relax in her couch for the rest of the night. She was actually beat and she would like to go to sleep early. _Darn it, I sound so old. _Another buzz distracted her.

_Oh, have you been thinking of me wearing a dress? –Dani_

Santana blushed, why, she wouldn't know. Okay, she knew why, because she had been thinking about Dani a lot lately and now she couldn't help but imagine how good Dani would look like in a dress. She had seen pictures on the media, but to see it in person with her own eyes? _Okay, stop drooling, Lopez; close that silly mouth of yours._

_Well, can you blame me, I bet you look beautiful in dresses… -Santana_

She was still making her way upstairs, perks on living on the 8th floor. Usually she would run out of breath by now, reaching the 6th floor, but she realized how she suddenly felt so energized and pumped. Dani did that. She looked at her phone, waiting for Dani's reply. Dani always replied fast, unless she was in the middle of something or…_Shit._

_I mean, you always look beautiful. In anything. I like you in anything. –Santana._

She was worried that she had offended Dani somehow, like indicating that Dani only look beautiful in dresses which was so far from the truth. Because to her Dani did look beautiful in anything, even in her ripped jeans and faded band t-shirt. She had never seen anyone with such undemanding beauty like Dani. She looked at her phone once more, browsing through the conversation when she realized… _Oh, hells no. Did I just blatantly tell her I like her via text? Good going, Lopez. You're such a smooth talker._

She was slapping herself internally when she got another text as she finally reached her floor.

_I spy with my little eye someone looking at her phone with a troubled expression. But she still looks so gorgeous even with her scrunched eyebrows. –Dani_

Santana stopped her tracks altogether. She took a second look, confused by the text she just got. But then she looked up and all the pieces fell in place. Because there she was, with her signature ripped jeans and button up plaid shirt, leaning against the wall across Santana's door. Dani. The smile on her face only got wider as she made her way over to the girl that she assumed had been waiting for her. The inside of her stomach churned and she swore all the butterflies in it were having a riot. Gosh, if this was a scene out of the movie, she would be running in slow motion to Dani's welcoming arms.

"Dani…" She called out breathlessly, when just now she felt like she could run a marathon. Dani took her breath away.

"Hey…" Dani began, peeling herself off of the wall, turning her body to face Santana. "So, your answer is?" She arched her eyebrows challengingly, overlooking the fact that Santana looked a little bit flushed.

"Huh?" Santana muttered out, dumbfounded by the question.

Dani chuckled at the reaction she got. "I spy something dark blue beginning with a D?"

"Oh…Um…" Santana looked around and her gaze fell upon something so obvious. Her door. _Right, of course. _As realization hit her, she heard Dani chuckled once more. Getting back her bearings, she glanced back to Dani, ready to make her remark.

"You threw me off there, because if you had said Prussian blue then I'd for sure guess it right." Santana smirked, taking in the sight before her. "Wait, how did you know which floor I live on?" They had talked about a lot of things, but that one little detail never came up. It wasn't like Santana could casually say, 'so I live on the 8th floor, wanna come up?'

"I asked around. I knocked on every door on every floor until someone told me, 'oh that beautiful girl with great smile and entrancing beauty? Yeah, she's up on the 8th floor.'" Dani shrugged nonchalantly, a serious look on her face.

"You did not!" Santana gasped, hitting Dani playfully at her shoulder, trying to hide her deep blush. "Tell me the truth…"

"Nope, my lips are sealed." Dani smiled teasingly, earning a cute pout from the older girl.

"Ugh, if it was anybody else, I would think that that is creepy, you know?" Santana mocked, feigning annoyance.

"Well at least you got me as your creep and not some weird guy who don't shower everyday…" Dani retorted wittingly.

"True, true, I'm luck out on that…"

"So, anyway, I was waiting for you to give you this…" She revealed a small box from behind her back.

Santana's gaze darted from Dani to the box in her hand. "What's this?" She asked in confusion.

"Open it…" Dani encouraged as Santana took the box from her.

Santana held the box in her right hand, putting down her bag against her door. She eyed the box carefully before she finally opened it. She went through the tissue paper and gasped as she saw the content of the mysterious box. "Dani! How…" She trailed off, shocked and surprised; she didn't know what to say.

"So, I have a friend who has a friend who has a cousin who has a friend who has an aunt who has a boyfriend who…" Dani gazed skyward, losing her track. "Anyway, my friend knows someone who owns an antique bookstore and I remember that this is your favorite book and how sad you looked when you told me that you lost that first edition you bought back when you were in high school. So…yeah." Dani muttered out, brushing the back of her head, waiting nervously for Santana's response.

Santana traced the leather cover thoroughly, embracing the texture and how old the book smell, it was one of her weird obsessions, old vintage books. Something that she got from her mother, something she had left of her mother's memory. She felt as tears glazed her eyes and she cursed herself inwardly. _You will not cry like a baby, Lopez, knock it off._

"You don't like it?" Dani asked with worry, she really couldn't read Santana's expression.

Santana blinked a couple of times, trying to get rid of the tears threatening to prickle down her face. "What?! No, no… I mean, yes, of course I like it!" Santana glanced up, catching Dani's eyes with determination. "I love this, Dani. Thank you…But this must cost you a lot…"

"Nah…not at all…" Dani waved absentmindedly, greeted by a disbelieving look from Santana. "No, really, cause the person who owns the store have a young girl who loves my music, so it was like a barter. I got this and the young girl got signed CDs, posters, and a copy of my book. It worked out so well…" Dani grinned.

Santana shook her head lightly; she still couldn't believe how sweet Dani was. "Still, this is so nice of you. Thank you…" She smiled appreciatively, resting her hand on Dani's arm.

Dani gulped at the gesture. "Well, you're very welcome. But um…maybe, you can thank me by going out with me tomorrow?" Dani mumbled out, holding her breath, because really she was a nervous wreck every time Santana was around. "If you're not busy, of course…" She added hastily.

"How about…" Santana began tentatively, feeling courageous. "Since last time was your idea, let me take the reign this time and plan us a dinner date?"

An instant grin appeared on Dani's face. She didn't expect this at all but she was glad, because it had crossed her mind how Santana might agree to go out with her again just because she would feel bad turning her down after Dani got her that gift. But now she was certain, Santana wanted the same thing as she did. "Deal. But I still get to pick you up." She confirmed resolutely. "Anyway, I'm sorry I'm keeping you from whatever you have plan for the night…"

"Well, now what I have planned is to savor this amazing book I just got…" Santana smiled contentedly. "Unless…Um, do you want to come in?" Santana asked out of politeness. It wasn't like she didn't want Dani to come in but it didn't feel right just yet.

Dani was tempted to say yes, but she wouldn't. She wanted to do things right. "I would love to, but my mom told me once that I'm not supposed to come to some stranger's house until I know them at least for a month…" Dani retorted teasingly.

"Oh, so you plan on getting to know me for the long run?" Santana quipped quickly.

"You're quick, Lopez, I'm impressed…" Dani mused, smiling seductively. Or what she thought as seductive.

"I have my moments…" Santana shrugged coolly.

"I know you do…" Dani nodded, looking intensely at Santana. "Well, I better get going; Winston must have run out of chips by now. The man loves his chips…"

Santana chuckled. "Tell him hi for me…" She uttered as she watched Dani walking backwards toward the elevator. It was one of the things she had come to love, watching Dani walk away. But instead of getting a sense of dread from seeing her retreating back, she still got to see Dani's face as she waved that awkward wave of hers.

"I'd be waiting for the details of our date. You better not bail on me…" Dani noted as she got in the elevator.

"I wouldn't dream of it…" Santana replied, waving at Dani as she watched the elevator door closing on her, but not without a last glimpse of Dani's adorable smile.

When Dani was finally alone, she exhaled her breathes loudly, getting rid all of her nerves and felt relieved that the night's event went as well as she had hoped. She leaned on one of the walls as she retraced back all the things Santana said to her, and all the small gestures she did. It didn't escape her attention that Santana looked a little sad when she studied the book, but Dani decided to just let it go and maybe someday when the time is right, she would ask Santana about it. She sighed blissfully, shoving her hands on her jacket's pockets. She glanced at the elevator screen, showing her that she was still on the 5th level when she felt a buzz. She pulled out her phone, assuming it was Winston. But of course, sometimes reality can be better than dreams.

_So, would you pick me up at 7 tomorrow? ;) -Santana_

* * *

**P.S. **Come, come, don't be shy, leave your comment, good or bad…wait, scratch that, let me rephrase it positively. Good or _constructive_ reviews will be much appreciated! Yep, that's better. I think you should have noticed by now that I'm big on flashbacks, especially those who read my other story on another fandom. I just realized it myself, I think it's my 'thing' on this whole writing experience. You can also share your theory on them, it'd be awesome!

And now I'm gonna retreat back to my hole, cause I don't live anywhere near US or Canada and so I can't see Demi live in concert. Just shoot me now… Bang. Bang. Bye... For now.


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